Level 5 Leadership: Humility, Will, and Good to Great

Level 5 Leadership: Humility Versus Will

Level 5 leadership involves what Collins (2001) calls the "paradoxical blend of humility and will" (p. 13). As a result, Level 5 leaders are "a study in duality," exhibiting binaries such as being both humble and fearless, both modest and willful (Collins, 2001). The complexity of human character makes it possible to hold two seemingly disparate qualities in check at any one time, knowing exactly when, how, and why to draw on one quality — such as humility — versus the other. Collins expands upon the concept of Level 5 leadership in the opening sections of Good to Great because Level 5 leadership is central to effectively motivating others and promoting the values of an organization.

Both humility and will are difficult qualities to perfect, and all leaders possess each to a greater or lesser degree. Even the most apparently arrogant leaders have moments when they are willing to surrender their egos and let others shine. If they lacked humility entirely, their leadership would be less effective and certainly not at Level 5. Conversely, other leaders may appear more driven and ambitious than they actually are. Will is a long-term proposition: starting a project and not seeing it through, or buckling under pressure, are signs of insufficient will that must be balanced by determination and perseverance.

Of the two central qualities of Level 5 leadership, humility would seem the harder to develop or cultivate. This may be especially true of younger, non-white, or female leaders who must "constantly prove their competence to followers" ("Humility Key to Effective Leadership," 2011). Interestingly, female leaders may find it easier to cultivate humility yet more difficult to attract followers who appreciate it as a leadership trait. Collins's work suggests that Level 5 leaders often go unrecognized because their innate humility does not match the stereotype of the authoritarian, arrogant leader who claims all the credit and accepts none of the personal responsibility.

Leaders also face the constant temptation to abuse their position of power — a phenomenon rooted in underdeveloped humility. They live continually with the threat of failure and loss of pride. Humility exposes vulnerability, which can be misconstrued as weakness. Ironically, it takes a high degree of will to overcome the self-doubt and defeatism that come with leadership. Having the will to succeed means moving through failure and countering obstacles with ever-greater demonstrations of strength and purpose. In addition to humility and will, a Level 5 leader demonstrates unwavering resolve and determination, as well as "inspired standards" (Collins, 2001, p. 31). These qualities of resolve, determination, and inspired standards tie directly into the need for perfected will and perfected humility.

Level 5 leaders are ambitious enough to focus firmly on organizational goals and do whatever it takes to achieve them. Crucially, however, the Level 5 leader's ambition is not directed toward personal gain — and herein lies the power of humility. Humility becomes the foundation upon which Level 5 leaders build their capabilities and their teams. It is harder to achieve a position of leadership without first developing the humility required when working with others. The will needed to address crisis, challenge, and change is therefore much harder to develop over the long run. Humility tends to come with the territory, as all crises shed light on weaknesses inherent in the organization or in the leadership itself.

Research confirms that humility is a core leadership trait. "Leader humility is associated with more learning-oriented teams, more engaged employees and lower voluntary employee turnover" ("Humility Key to Effective Leadership," 2011). Honing humility requires will: the will to learn and grow, and the will to achieve organizational goals as a team rather than as an individual seeking the spotlight. Even the most charismatic leaders — such as Richard Branson — understand on some level what humility is and how to cultivate it. Humility is difficult to cultivate because it requires a skillful balance between having a strong personality and ego, on one hand, and the ability to learn, grow, and accept responsibility for mistakes, on the other. As Collins (2001) explains, "the great irony…is that the animus and personal ambition that often drive people to positions of power stand at odds with the humility required for Level 5 leadership" (p. 36).